Business group urges House to reject Senate plan

The Florida branch of the National Federation of Independent Business has just sent a letter to House Speaker Marco Rubio urging the House to reject the Senate's proposed property tax plan that includes a 10-percent cap on assessments for non-homestead and commercial property. NFIB prefers the five percent cap that the House adopted last week.

"We urge you to remain vigilant and amend the Senate version,'' wrote Allen Douglas, legislative affairs director for NFIB. "We believe the 10 percent cap provides little or no relief for small businesses struggling to keep up with taxes and insurance. What savings they will see in a boom year will quickly be erased in normal years where assessments do not rise more than 10 percent, and by increases in other taxes and fees."

The Florida Chamber of Commerce isn't too happy with the Senate plan either. "The cap is too high for us," said David Daniel, lobbyist for the chamber. ""Let's not make the problems worse than they already our. Our goal has always been to let homeowners and businesses see real relief. It's a balancing act.

Rubio meanwhile has told House members that if they amend the Senate plan it is likely that the property tax plan will be dead for this special session.